Richard E. Merwin Student Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by IEEE Computer Society

Description The Richard E. Merwin Student Scholarship recognizes and rewards active student volunteers in IEEE Student Branches or IEEE Computer Society Student Branch Chapters who demonstrate academic promise and leadership. Recipients act as IEEE Computer Society Student Ambassadors for a one‑year term, serving as liaisons between society leadership and student members in their region. The program distributes a fixed pool of funds to multiple students each cycle to support continued involvement and development. - **Purpose:** Reward student leadership and volunteer service within IEEE Computer Society student units. - **Role:** Awardees serve a one‑year term as Student Ambassadors liaising with local and society leadership. - **Scope:** Multiple scholarships drawn from a fixed annual fund support chosen recipients. History of the Award The scholarship was established in memory of Richard E. Merwin, a former IEEE Computer Society president, to honor his legacy by encouraging student leadership and engagement. It builds on the society’s long-standing tradition of supporting the next generation of computing professionals through targeted recognition and financial support. The award links past leadership values with contemporary student volunteerism. - **Named for:** Richard E. Merwin, past president of the IEEE Computer Society. - **Intent:** Preserve Merwin’s legacy by promoting student leadership in computing. - **Legacy:** Connects historical leadership values to current student volunteer programs. Award Value A total of US$40,000 in scholarships is allocated annually by the IEEE Computer Society for this program. Individual students may receive up to US$1,000 each, disbursed as part of the society’s broader scholarship distribution. The award is monetary only and intended to support recipients’ academic and professional development during their ambassadorship. - **Total pool:** US$40,000 awarded annually. - **Maximum per student:** Up to US$1,000. - **Use:** Financial support tied to the recipient’s term and activities as ambassador. Eligibility The scholarship targets undergraduate and graduate students studying electrical/computer engineering, computer science, or clearly defined computer‑related engineering fields who are active Computer Society members. Undergraduate applicants must be in the final two years of their program; all applicants must have at least one year remaining to complete their degree or be planning immediate further study after completion. Applicants must be full‑time students (as defined by their institution) and have maintained Computer Society membership for at least three months before the application deadline. - **Academic programs:** Electrical/computer engineering, computer science, or related fields. - **Student status:** Final two years for undergraduates; graduate students eligible. - **Membership & enrollment:** Active Computer Society membership ≥3 months; full‑time enrollment during the award. Application Timeline Applications are accepted according to established annual deadlines (commonly 30 April and 30 September). Transcripts must include grades through the most recent completed term that precedes the application deadline—typically November/December for the April deadline and May/June for the September deadline. Applicants should confirm exact deadlines and allow time for official documents and recommendations to be submitted before the stated cutoff. - **Typical deadlines:** 30 April and 30 September (verify current cycle dates). - **Transcript timing:** Include grades through the most recent completed term before the deadline. - **Preparation tip:** Begin collecting official transcripts and reference letters well ahead of the deadline. Evaluation Criteria Applications are scored against a transparent set of weighted criteria that balance volunteer engagement and academic performance. The principal factors are participation in student branch/chapter activities (30%) and academic achievement (30%). Additional components include the advisor’s recommendation (20%), the applicant’s Student Ambassador vision statement (10%), and other extracurricular involvement (10%). - **Volunteer engagement:** 30% weight for branch/chapter participation. - **Academic performance:** 30% weight for GPA and transcripts. - **Supporting elements:** 20% advisor letter, 10% vision statement, 10% extracurriculars. Transcript Requirements Applicants must submit official transcripts issued by the institution’s registrar (or equivalent), covering the entire current degree program (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD). If a grading system is not 4.0 based, include mark sheets showing how the GPA was calculated; minimum GPA required is 2.5/4.0 (or ≥60%). If the most recent term grades are not yet available, provide an official letter from the registrar explaining the absence; upon acceptance, recipients must supply a Letter of Full‑time Enrollment covering the ambassador term with the school seal. - **Official issuer:** Transcripts from the Registrar or equivalent office only. - **Coverage:** Entire current degree track with grades through the most recent completed term. - **GPA & documentation:** Minimum 2.5/4.0 (or 60%); include mark sheets if not on a 4.0 scale. Letters of Recommendation The primary recommendation should come from the Student Branch Chapter Adviser or Student Branch Counselor; if that is not possible, a letter from the Section Computer Society Chapter Chair is acceptable in specific cases (for example, graduate volunteers active at the section level). These letters should be authored by faculty advisors associated with the student branch or chapter—professional chapter or section officers should not vet or approve references. Applicants may optionally submit a second reference from another person familiar with their IEEE activities. Direct questions to [email protected]. - **Primary source:** Student Branch Chapter Adviser or Student Branch Counselor. - **Alternate:** Section Computer Society Chapter Chair only when adviser letter is infeasible. - **Optional:** One additional reference permitted from someone familiar with IEEE work. Prohibited Materials (Do Not Include) Applications must avoid extraneous attachments that do not directly support the evaluation criteria. Examples of prohibited items include flyers or posters from chapter events, high‑school transcripts, résumés/CVs, or any material unrelated to the stated requirements. Submitting only the required documents helps reviewers focus on the applicant’s qualifications and prevents processing delays. - **Examples banned:** Event flyers/posters, high‑school transcripts, CVs. - **General rule:** Do not submit materials unrelated to the application requirements. - **Effect:** Extraneous files may be excluded from review. Ambassador Responsibilities and Mandatory Reporting Recipients are required to serve as IEEE Computer Society Student Ambassadors for one year, acting as a liaison between society leadership and student members and promoting student engagement and outreach. All awardees must submit progress reports at six and twelve months after receiving the scholarship; reports should summarize ambassador activities, outreach efforts, initiatives to boost student involvement, and updates on academic and professional progress. These reporting obligations support accountability and help the society measure the program’s impact. - **Term:** One‑year Student Ambassador appointment. - **Reporting schedule:** Mandatory progress reports at 6 and 12 months post‑award. - **Report content:** Activities as ambassador, outreach and engagement metrics, and academic/professional updates. If you’d like, I can convert this into a one‑page checklist or an application timeline you can print and use while preparing materials.